Conveyor construction or the like



y 1964 A. c. KLOSTERMAN 5 CONVEYOR CONSTRUCTION OR THE LIKE Filed July 13, 1961 INVENTOR 24 /l/berf c K/arferman FIG.3

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,141,556 CUNVEYOR CONSTRUCTION OR THE LIKE Albert C. Klosterman, 5536 (Iolerain Ave, (Iincinnati 39, Ohio Filed July 13, 1961, Ser. No. 123,765 1 Claim. (Cl. 211-462) This invention relates to an improved stationary conveyor structure particularly adapted for conveying and storing garments carried by conventional wire hangers and the like.

It is well known that cleaning establishments and the like require some means for hanging cleaned garments or the like on conventional wire hangers and the like whereby the garments can be readily conveyed from one location to another location when desired with a minimum of time and effort.

For example, the cleaned garments are hung on wire hangers at one location on the conveyor means and subsequently taken off the conveyor means at another loca tion whereby the conveyor means not only conveys the garments from place to place, but also provides storage means for the cleaned garments.

However, the prior-known conveyor means each require the garments to be hung on the conveyor means at one location and the conveyor means, through rather complicated and expensive structure, moves the garment when desired to the desired location. Not only is such conveyor equipment initially expensive to purchase and install, but the same is subject to high maintenance costs to keep the same in adequate repair.

Therefore, the prior known conveyor structures have a prohibitive cost which relatively small cleaning establishments cannot afford.

However, according to the teachings of this invention, a relatively inexpensive stationary conveyor construction is provided whereby garments can be hung on conventional wire hangers and the like at one desired location and manually moved to another desired location in a manner hereinafter described.

In particular, the conveyor construction of this invention comprises a suitable frame means for supporting a stationary conveyor track or the like by a plurality of substantially J-shaped support members of this invention each having a long leg thereof interconnected to the frame means and a short leg thereof interconnected to the stationary conveyor member whereby the conveyor member is supported in spaced relation relative to the frame means.

In this manner, the J-shaped support members readily permit wire hangers and the like to be hung over the stationary conveyor member in such a manner the wire hanger can be axially moved along the conveyor member without interference from the support members and frame means as will be apparent hereinafter.

In one embodiment of this invention, the conveyor member comprises a continuous structure having a pair of spaced parallel straight courses interconnected together at adjacent ends thereof by a pair of arcuate courses. The frame means comprises a plurality of vertically disposed posts or the like respectively having base plates at the lower ends thereof to support the posts in the vertical position and cross frame members at the upper ends thereof, the vertical posts being suitably interconnected together by means to hold the same in fixed positions relative to each other. The J-shaped support members respectively have the free ends of the long legs thereof interconnected to the free ends of the cross frame members and the free ends of the short legs thereof interconnected to the lower surface of the continuous conveyor member whereby the continuous conveyor member is disposed below the cross 3,ldl.,55d Patented July 21, 1 964 frame members and interconnected thereto by the J -shaped support members.

If desired, the frame members can be suitably interconnected together by a shelf-like structure disposed on top of the same whereby the shelf-like structure is adapted to support articles and the like above the conveyor memher, the shelf-like structure comprising a substantially rectangular frame carrying a suitable metal mesh or the like.

When it is desired to utilize the conveyor construction of this invention, the operator merely places the hooked shaped ends of the garment carrying Wire hangers at one particular location on the continuous stationary conveyor member. Subsequent garments placed on the conveyor member at the desired location push the garmentsin front of the same along the conveyor means whereby continuous operation of the conveyor means causes the garments to be moved from the initial position thereof along the conveyor means to the desired location. In this manner the conveyor construction of this invention not only conveys the garments to the desired location, but also provides means for readily storing the garments in an out of the way condition.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention provides an improved and relatively inexpensive stationary conveyor means that can be utilized by relatively small cleaning establishments and the like without requiring high maintenance costs and large capital outlays as required by the prior-known conveyor constructions.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved conveyor construction that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and relatively simple to install.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved conveyor construction which does not have any moving parts.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved conveyor construction having a shelf-like structure utilized in cooperation with the conveyor means.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved J-shaped support member for such a conveyor construction or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the conveyor construction of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is atop plan view of the conveyor construction illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of the conveyor construction illustrated in FIGURE 1 and is taken substantially on line 3-3 thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 illustrating the details of one of the J-shaped support members of this invention.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described as being particularly adaptable for providing a stationary conveyor construction for cleaning establishments and the like, it is to be understood that the conveyor construction of this invention can be utilized in other types of establishments as desired. Further, while the conveyor construction of this invention is illustrated and described as being continuous, it is to be understood that the same could be formed in any desired configuration. 1

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments thereof illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, an improved stationary conveyor construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a continuous conveyor member 12 carried by horizontally disposed frame members 14 and interconnected thereto in a manner hereinafter described by support members 15 whereby garments and the like hung on conventional wire hangers 18 can be manually conveyed completely around the continuous conveyor member 12 in a manner hereinafter described Without interference from the frame mem bers 14 or support members 16.

The horizontally disposed frame members 14 can comprise tubular metal stock and the like, and are respectively supported above the floor and the like by a plurality of vertically disposed posts 20 having the upper ends 22 thereof interconnected to the medial portions of the frame members 14 and the lower ends 24 thereof interconnected to suitable flat base plates 26 that rest on the floor or the like and support the posts 20 in the vertical positions thereof.

The posts 20 can comprise metal tubes or the like and can be suitably interconnected to the horizontally disposed frame members 14 by welding, couplings or the like and to the base plates 26 by welding, couplings or the like.

The posts 20 are held in aligned and spaced relation relative to each other by any suitable interconnecting means.

For example, the vertical posts 20 can be held in the fixed positions illustrated in the drawings by a suitable shelf structure 23 interconnected to the frame members 14 thereof, the shelf structure 28 comprising a substantially rectangular frame member 30 carrying a suitable wire mesh 32 and being interconnected to the horizontal frame members 14 by welding, bolting or the like.

Further, the shelf structure 28 can include a plurality of diagonally disposed brace members 34 to add structural strength to the shelf structure 28, as desired.

In this manner, the shelf structure 28 not only holds the posts 20 and frame members 14 in fixed positions relative to each other, but also the shelf structure 28 provides suitable means for receiving packages of goods and the like to be stored in an out of the way position by the conveyor construction of this invention.

For example, the shelf-like structure 28 can be utilized for storing packages of cleaned laundry and the like.

In one embodiment of this invention, the posts 20 are supported approximately 4 feet apart and support the shelf structure 28 approximately 82 inches above the ground surface.

The continuous conveyor member 12 can comprise a strip of 4 inch by 1% inch cold rolled steel or the like and includes a pair of spaced parallel straight courses 36 and a pair of opposed arcuate courses 38 interconnected to the adjacent ends of the straight courses 36 whereby the conveyor member 12 is substantially continuous.

While the conveyor member 12 can have any desired dimensions, one embodiment thereof is approximately 26 inches between the straight courses 36 and approximately 10 or 12 feet between the arcuate courses 38 thereof.

In this manner, the straight courses 36 of the conveyor member 12 are adapted to be disposed substantially below the free ends 40 of the horizontally disposed frame members 14 in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

As illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, each support member 16 comprises a substantially J-shaped structure having a long leg 42 and a short leg 44 interconnected to the long leg 42.

Each support member 16 has the free end 46 of the long leg thereof secured to the free end 40 of the horizontally disposed frame member 14 by welding, bolting or the like.

The free end 48 of the short leg 44 of each support member 16 is secured to the lower surface 50 of the conveyor member 12 to readily permit the hooked-shaped 4 end 52 of a wire hanger 18 or the like to be readily looped over the upper surface 54 of the conveyor member 12,

Thus, it can be seen thatthe long leg 42 of each support member 16 is spaced from the conveyor member 12 so that the hooked-shaped end 52 of the wire hanger 18 or the like can readily pass by each support member 1% as the hanger 13 is moved along the conveyor member 12.

By disposing the free end 46 of the long leg 42 of each support member 16 directly vertically above the free end 48 of the short leg 44 thereof, it can be seen that the conveyor member 12 can be suspended directly below the free ends 40 of the horizontally disposed frame members 14 without causing interference between the hangers 18 and the frame members 14 as well as the support members 16.

Therefore, it can be seen that the conveyor construction 10 can be readily disposed in a cleaning establishment or the like whereby cleaned garments and the like can be hung on hangers 18 and the like and interconnected to the conveyor member 12 at one location thereof whereby continuous hanging of the cleaned garments at the desired location causes the garments in front thereof to be pushed along the conveyor means 12 to a desired location.

Thus, the conveyor construction 10 not only acts as a conveyor means but also as a suitable storage rack for carrying cleaned garments and the like. In addition, the shelf-like structure 28 thereof can be utilized to store packages and the like, such as packages of cleaned shirts and other laundry.

Accordingly, this invention provides an improved conveyor construction that is relatively simple and inexpen sive to manufacture and is substantially maintenance free.

While the embodiment of the conveyor construction 10 of this invention has been illustrated as providing a continuous conveyor member 12, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized to support a conveyor member of any desired configuration starting at one position and ending at another position without having the continuous feature because the support member 16 can be utilized in substantially the same manner as illustrated to support the conveyor member from any desired frame means.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a plurality of vertical disposed supporting posts each having a base at the lower end thereof and a horizontally disposed frame member at the upper end thereof, means interconnecting said posts together to hold said posts in fixed positions relative to each other, a continuous and stationary conveyor member, and a plurality of substantially J-shaped support members each having a long leg and a short leg, said long legs being respectively interconnected to the free ends of said frame members, said short legs being interconnected to said conveyor member whereby said conveyor member is spaced from said frame members by said support members, said means interconnecting said posts together including horizontally disposed shelf structure interconnected to said frame members and said shelf comprising a rectangular frame carrying a sheet of mesh material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 428,871 Valley May 27, 1890 1,367,051 James Feb. 1, 1921 1,717,246 Perling June 11, 1929 2,047,093 Barbee July 7, 1936 2,491,300 Condit Dec. 13, 1949 2,778,504 Byrne Jan. 22, 1957 2,899,072 Weiss Aug. 11, 1959 2,947,407 Wood Aug. 2, 1960 

